- Film Review
- Reviewed By Tony Sloman
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2 out of 5
John Wayne hires a group of schoolboys to help him on a cattle drive in this morose, awkwardly paced and overlong would-be epic western. In truth, this rite-of-passage saga just doesn't work, owing to a cumbersome structure and a rather nauseating pro-violence, revenge-is-good message. On the plus side, Bruce Dern and Slim Pickens are good to watch, and Roscoe Lee Browne and Colleen Dewhurst add thespian dignity. But the movie isn't worthy of Wayne, and is indicative of his lack of luck finding strong material following his Oscar for True Grit .
Plot Summary
Western starring John Wayne. When all his hands join a local gold rush, veteran rancher Wil Andersen hires a group of schoolboys to help him on a 400-mile cattle drive. But Andersen's decision angers an outlaw band whose help he has rejected.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Wil Andersen
- John Wayne
- Jebediah Nightlinger
- Roscoe Lee Browne
- Long Hair
- Bruce Dern
- Kate
- Colleen Dewhurst
- Anse
- Slim Pickens
- Preacher
- Lonny Chapman
- Jenkins
- Charles Tyner
- Annie Andersen
- Sarah Cunningham
- Ellen Price
- Allyn Ann McLerie
- Cimarron
- A Martinez
- Slim Honeycutt
- Robert Carradine
- Charlie Schwartz
- Stephen Hudis
- Smiley
- Matt Clark
Crew
- Director
- Mark Rydell
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